How Sweet You Are

I'm combining a couple of challenges with this one.  As You Like It asks whether you lines or no lines when you color--umm, yes, lines please!  I find it difficult to shade sufficiently without the lines. I do wonder how this little girl would do without lines tho.  I wish there was a way to remove the lines after the fact--LOL.  I was also inspired by Just Us Girls photo inspiration.  It totally reminded me of country living and growing up on the farm.  We raised rabbits for a time, chickens, and geese (so mean!).  There was also a paddock for sheep although we didn't have any.

I was excited to be trying my hand at coloring denim.  Love how her jeans turned out.  Someday when I have more Copics I'll recolor her with a lighter scheme and try that thing where you use the blending solution and old jeans to give the illusion of real denim.  I also tried out my new Sharpie white oil-based pigment pen. I wouldn't recommend it.  I get better coverage with my Sakura pen.

The Details:  Hammermill 80lb coverstock, Recollections 110 lb white cardstock base, MFT pierced rectangle die and Contempo Cage sentiment, Martha Stewart 12x12 designer paper, Stampavie How Sweet Are You, Copics (forgot to write them down--B21, B95, B99 for the jeans for sure)

I'm entering this in As You Like It Favorite Technique:  Lines or No Lines, Simply Create Too #82 Anything Goes, Just Us Girls #286 Photo Inspiration, Simon Says Anything Goes

Easter Alien

 I had a request for an Easter card featuring aliens.  Exsqueeze me?  It was so fun to work this card up!  Bright Easter colors, Easter eggs as moons, and an alien with giant googly eyes.  My favorite part beyond the moons?  The sentiment!  Love it!!!  Fun, I tell ya!

I used the airbrush to do the background after I had masked the various elements.  Such a quick way to work that up.  I like the gassy atmospheric effect. 

The Details:  Copic 0, Y11, Y13, Y19, RV13, RV14, RV17, YG13, BG01, BG11, BG13, Hammermill 80lb cardstock for coloring, Recollections 110lb white cardstock base, Darice googly eyes, Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, Stampendous detail fine white embossing powder, yellow Smooch, Lawn Fawn Happy Easter sentiment and egg, Lil' Inker Funny Bunnies eggs, Technique Tuesday Monsters Ink, Recollections Robots planet

I'm entering this in Cute Card Thursday #366 Easter, Allsorts #304 Feature a Creature, Simon Says Anything Goes, Inkspirational #79 Neon

Of Corset!

This image cracks me up!  Crack...egg--LOL!  The sentiment inside?  "Suck it up!"  LOLOL.  Okay, okay.  Enough!  When I saw this week's CASology, I immediately remembered this stamp set I'd gotten at Christmas.  Stylin' corset--check.  SCS tutorial on one-layer paper tole--check.  Practice shading with Copics--check.

I love how the embossing on either side of the corset really emphasizes the effects of one if you've got a little extra fluff.  The fluff has to go somewhere, right?  Notice I left the embossing rough to create the illusion of feathers.  I used the rounded end of a brush.

For coloring, I practiced shading to white on the background and using warm tones to shade the white of the chicken.  I really like how that turned out tho it's not easy to see in the pic.  I also practiced flicking for grass and little dots.  Oh!  And starting the green shading a bit up the legs so it looks further back--brilliant tip.

I'm entering this in CASology #139 Style, Simon Says Anything Goes, Seize the Birthday Anything Goes  

The Details:  Art Impressions Corset Birdie, Neenah 80lb solar white, Memento Tuxedo Black, Recollections 110lb white cardstock base

Copics
Comb:  R22, R24, R29, R39
Corset:  B00, B02, B05
Background:  0, B0000
Grass:  0, YG11, YG13, YG17
Chicken Shading:  0, E00
Legs:  Y21, Y35, E30
Beak: Y35, E30, BV00

Life Grows Lovely

I was inspired by a challenge that required a fairy but I can't remember what challenge that was.  And it was probably weeks ago!  LOL.  So spring flowers it is.  One of the challenges I'm entering asks whether you prefer lines or no lines.  I prefer lines because it's easier for me.  I did try no lines on a vintage Holly Hobby type image that turned out well enough.  I should try the technique again now that I have Copics and more experience. 

Again, colored with my Copics and kept really simple.  A bit of Wink of Stella on the fairy wings but otherwise plain jane.

The Details:  Recollections 110 lb white and black cardstock, Hammermill 80lb coverstock, Copics, Papercraft Essentials Easter image, Doodlebug Design Springtime 6x6 paper, Memento Tuxedo Black, Studio G sentiment, MFT pierced rectangle die, Bazzill green cardstock

I'm entering this in Simon Says Anything Goes, Addicted to Stamps & More #137 Make Your Mark, Crafter's Cafe #109 Spring Flowers, As You Like It Lines or No Lines

Rolling by with Easter Greetings

The final Easter wobble card for my niece and nephews.  Now to get them mailed off!

The Details: Recollections 110lb white cardstock base, Memory Box Dancing Butterflies die, Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Border die and Happy Easter sentiment, VersaMark, Stampendous Detail Fine white embossing powder, Papercraft Essentials image, Doodlebug Design Springtime 6x6 designer paper, Lil' Inker Lg Sunshine die, Glossy Accents, Distress Ink Mustard Seed, Copic Y11, Y13, Y19, YG11, YG13, YG17, B0000, B00, B02, B05, E01, E30, E31, E33, 100

I'm entering this in Simon Says Anything Goes, Mod Squad Easter, Markerpop #65 Easter, Addicted to Stamps & More! #137 Make Your Mark

Power Poppy Power

While I was cruising online looking for color combos for a Power Poppy image I just purchased, I ran across Passionate Paper Creations by Rhea.  OMG, her coloring of this image is out of this world!  I totally CASed her work and wish mine looked half as good as hers.

I did the background first when normally I would save that for last because I'm so eager to dive right into the fun part :)   I'm glad I did tho--it was a lot easier to fix boo boos...lots of boo boos.  I'll be coloring this again when I have more blue colors.  In this case, I used gray to tone it done some. I like the effect.  I also love the sentiment from PTI's Meadow Greens which I got around Xmas.  Is this really the first time I've used it??

I'm entering this in Fusion (bright flowers), Addicted to Stamps & More #136 Anything Goes, Darnell's NBUS #4

The Details:  Power Poppy Countryside Bouquet, PTI Meadow Greens sentiment, VersaMark Onyx Black, Simon Says stitched rectangle die, Recollections 110lb white cardstock base, Hammermill 80lb color coverstock

Copics
Poppies:  YR04, YR07, YR09, YR18, N3, N5
Cosmos:  RV10, RV13, RV14, Y11, Y13, Y19
Salvia:  R22, R24, R27
Background:  B0000, B21, B95, N0
Greenery:  YG61, YG63, YG67 (Poppies & Salvia), YG11, YG13, YG17 (Cosmos)

Easter Eggs

Bright and fun Easter cards for my niece and nephew.  One more card to make for another nephew and off they go in the mail.   These are wobbles which I hope will entertain the kids as much as they entertain me.

The Details:  Papercraft Essentials images, Doodlebug Designs Springtime 6x6 paper, Memento Tuxedo Black, wobbles, MFT pierced oval and pierced circle dies, Recollections 110 lb white cardstock base, Hammermill 80lb coverstock, Lil' Inker Funny Bunny sentiment, Lawn Fawn Happy Easter sentiment, Copics

I'm entering this in Just Add Ink #255 Eggs or Ovals, Simply Create Too #81 Easter or Bunnies, Fab 'n' Funky #251 Spring into Color, Curtain Call Jelly Bean

Celebrating You

Next week I am sending someone to run a public health meeting in Nairobi in my stead.  She's really young and new to the mechanics of such a thing but has really been pushing herself hard to learn the ropes (and stop my hair from going gray!).  This card is for her.  I plan to have another team member take it along and give it to her when the meeting is over.  She will definitely have earned it!

The Details:  Stampabilities Cherry Blossom stamp, PTI sentiment (Signature Greetings?  Frankie is lying on top of the package--LOL), Memento Tuxedo Black, Recollections vellum and 110 lb white cardstock base, Hammermill Color Copy 80lb Photo White Cover Stock, MFT stitched rectangle dies, Glossy Accents, Gold Smooch, Copic E19, E33, E37, E97, B21, B23, B26, RV10, RV13, RV14, T1, N7

Oh, dang, I just noticed I missed coloring one of the buds.  Do you see it in the upper left corner right beneath the frame?  She'll be too glad the meeting is over to notice, I'm sure!

I'm entering this in CAS(E) This Sketch! #114, The Paper Players #236 CAS Floral, and Fantasy Stampers #32 Spring is in the Air (isn't it tho!)

Sweet Strawberry Girl

On this image I used a mix of Copic and Spectrum Noirs.  I will be very glad when I get another Copic brown to allow finer flicking than I can achieve with the Spectrums. The yellow is a bit lighter than shows in the pic.  You can thank the sun shining behind the card to make the cardstock translucent (great way to show the embossing!).  Of course, I don't have enough Copics yet to go really light which was my inclination when I saw the Card Concept inspiration pic but the embossed flowers make me ever so happy.

The Details:  Penny Black Sweet Day, Lil' Inker Sun Sentiments, Hero Arts Everything Flower background stamp, Stazon Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, Stampendous detail fine white embossing powder, Recollections 110 lb white cardstock base, Spectrum Noir FS1, FS3, PP1, EB4, EB5, GB1, Copic R22, R24, R27, Y11, Y15, Y19, YG11, Yg13, YG17, G24, G29, BV02, BV04, E33, E37, 100

I'm entering this in Fab 'n Funky #250 Focus on the Image, the Card Concept #30 Thinking of You (clean & layered), and Virginia's View #13 Embossing

Easter Basket

I wanted to play with CASology #136 Basket this week and ran across this image before I found the strawberry stamp I was looking for.  The image is really sweet so no bits and bobs elsewhere on the card.

The Details:  PTI Mixed Message sentiment, Stampin' Up image, Recollections 110lb cardstock base, Hammermill Color Copy 80lb Photo White Cover Stock, Copic Y11, Y15, Y19, YG11, YG13, YG17, G24, BV0000, BV00, Spectrum Noir HB2, Simon Says stitched rectangle die

Lulu's Easter Poppies

This is a Stamping Bella Lulu stamp; I love Lulu but I don't think they're adding new ones unfortunately.  Lots of color but lots of white space too.  I went with a springy colorway this round.  What a difference from the last time where I used dark oranges.  Like last time tho I wet embossed the centers of the flowers to get the texture of a poppy.  Love!

Updated:  There's still plenty of time to play over at the House of Cards where our challenge this month is enamel dots!

The Details:  Stamping Bella Lula Loves Poppies, Avery Elle Happy die, Simon Says stitched rectangle die, Lil' Inker Funny Bunnies sentiment, Memento Tuxedo Black, Hampton Art clear embossing powder, VersaMark, Neenah 80lb Solar White, Recollections 110lb white cardstock base, Enamel Accents, Copic  BV0000, BV00, BV02, B00, B02, B05, YG11, G21, G24, RV63, Y11, Y15. 100, Spectrum Noir FS1, FS3, LY1, LV1, HB2

I'm entering this in Without Words Easter, Virginia's View #13 Embossing, Addicted to Stamps & More #134 CAS, CAS on Sunday #53 Girl Power, Simon Says Wednesday Girly

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop, Take 2

Here's my second, and last minute, entry into the Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.  A little bit of Copic coloring and lots of layers well outside my norm left me a card I really like. 

Also, I airbrushed around the mug with Copic BG11 and the Master Airbrush compressor I got at Xmas.  I was prepared to have to buy couplers and who knows what all else to get the Copic gun and the compressor to play nice but it fit together from day 1.  Woo hoo!  I'd highly recommend this compressor.  It's compact and nearly silent which was a must for me.  Plus, it's so much more economical than those little air cans that last a lot less than you think they will, trust me.

The Details:  Impression Obsession Smell the Coffee stamp, Copic BG11, BG13, Y11, Y15, Y19, YR07, DCWV Cafe Mediterranean paper stack, Recollections 110lb cream card stock base, hemp twine, Glossy Accents, Simon Says stitched rectangle die, Lawn Fawn Tag You're It die, Memento Tuxedo Black

I'm also entering this in Simon Says Girly

St. Patrick's Fraternal Twins

Fraternal twin cards today for two sisters who are fiercely competitive.  So two cards largely the same but not.

I am loving my new Copics!  Practice, practice, practice!  Everything was done with Copics here except for the skin (I don't have Copics in that colorway yet), the buckles and clover on the pot (these were Smooch so have pearly glitter that I can't capture in the photo).  The first I colored in my usual way and the second I used flicking.  So so much easier to flick with Copics vs. Spectrum Noirs.  The rainbow is also the fat side of Copics and a ruler.  Easy!

The Details:  Copic YG11, YG13, YG17, G24, G29, colorless blender, 100, YR04, YR09, R27, Spectrum Noir FS1, FS3, PP1, Sakura white pigment pen, Smooch, Papertrey Ink Sparkle & Shine sentiments, Studio-G pot o' gold, Drawn with Character leprechaun digi, Recollections 110lb white card stock base, Hammermill Color Copy 80lb Photo White Cover Stock, fun foam (beneath panel), Ranger gold embossing powder, Memento Tuxedo Black, Glossy Accents, Simon Says stitched rectangle die

I'm entering this in Curtain Call Lucky, Sparkle and Shine #1, Simply Create Too #80 St. Patrick's Day or Mostly Green, Addicted to Stamps & More #134 CAS

So Stinkin' Cute

This was such a fun card to make!   Masculine cards can be hard so I usually fall back on making it cheeky.   A good pun always makes me happy as does coloring lately.  There's just something about breathing life into a line drawing with color and shading that I find really satisfying.  This one especially given the black.  Yay, me!

There are a few things to note on the card that made it especially fun for me.

1. The original image stamp looked more like a raccoon head on top of a skunk's body to me so I used my Exacto to perform some cosmetic surgery.  Then when I was coloring I created the white stripe down the nose.
2. I created my own background by stringing together words from the skunk set.  I love how this turned out.  Lesson learned that it's best to offset the phrases by a word or two only.
3. I also created my own dots by coloring Enamel Accents and Elmer's glue.  

• Step 1:  Grab a piece of waxed paper or parchment.  I prefer waxed paper on a clipboard for easy toting.
• Step 2:  Dab the paper with dots of Enamel Accents (shown above).  Allow to dry completely.  I take the whole lot on the clipboard and put it somewhere the cat can't reach
• Step 3: Using alcohol ink, color the dots.  I tried a combination of dropping Adirondack alcohol inks (lovely shine remains), dabbing with a cotton swab (matte but good intensity), and Spectrum Noir alcohol markers (a really juicy marker gave the best results on Enamel Accents)
• Elmer's Glue:  White glue is a good (and cheap!) option for making your own dots.  You follow the same steps as above.  The glue dots will dry flatter and remain translucent with a matte finish after you color them.  See the two smaller dots on my card.

Funny story if you made it this far:  Growing up we had a woods and went back there to muck about as children do while the parents were gathering mushrooms.  Well, when my kid sis was maybe 3 or 4, she spotted a "cat" and immediately tried to coax it to her--"here, kitty kitty".  Luckily the "cat" ambled off and my kid sis (and the rest of us) were spared a very stinky lesson.

The Details:  Sweet Stamp Shop Stinky Skunk, Waffle Flower Bowtiful ("It's your"), PTI Movers & Shakers sentiments ("birthday"), Lawn Fawn Grassy Border die, Simon Says stitched rectangle die, Hammermill Color Copy 80lb Photo White Cover Stock, Recollections white 110lb cardstock base, Hero Arts Lime Green, Memento Tuxedo Black, Spectrum Noir GG3, GG4, GG5, CG2, IG1, blender,  black Sharpie, Sakura white pigment pen

I'm entering this in Seize the Birthday Masculine, The Male Room 04-15 Create Your Own Background Paper, and Less Is More #213 This Makes Me Happy

A New Stamp Set . . . Or Is It?

Our challenge this month at the House of Cards is to use enamel dots.  There are SO MANY possibilities with them.  Why not have a go and join us?  Hope to see you there!

On my card I created my dots using Enamel Accents and the extra large one by melting a mini pony bead in the oven. Yes, that's right, a pony bead from the craft store.  It takes about 10 minutes at 425F.  You can check You Tube for a demo.

The rest of my card started in the kitchen too.  Can you take a guess at my new floral stamp set?  It's totally familiar but, tap-tap-tap, where have you seen it before?  You were totally right if you guessed a celery heart.  Seriously!  I inked the celery directly from the pad and applied to the paper with fab results.  The colors were a little blotchy at first but dried beautifully and the paper had no ill effects from any residual celery juice.  So cool!

The Details:  Celery Heart, Papertrey Ink Meadow Greens leaf, 7 Gypsies sentiment, Distress Ink Worn Lipstick and Spun Sugar, VersaFine Onyx Black, Memento Pear Tart, Enamel Accents, pony bead, Simon Says stitched rectangle die, Recollections 110 lb cardstock, Glossy Accents

I'm entering this in Simon Says Anything Goes